So Much More Than A Memory
by Y2Jen
Summary: X, Zero and the whole Hunter gang are back and in an all new story! From the author of 'missadventures' comes a more serious tale of love and war when the Sigma Virus is rereleased by Neon Tiger, causing a new war to begin. Not 'the' sequal, R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _From the acclaimed author of the hit story 'missadventures' comes my latest creation...! Alright so I'm not acclaimed, but it sounded cool though doncha think? AKA "Second Rendition" from when I had it off of another website a while back but I changed the name. Anyway. My MegaMan muse has bitten me like a flea bug, and it's an itch I just gotta scratch! Alright, here's the idea. This is not a sequel to my other story, though I would love to do one sometime someday when I DO get enough free time to write in away from work... it's supposed to be more serious, but still have some fun loving and jokes and similar character takes. It takes place after the war has ended and Sigma has been defeated. Alia and Gate have their son Taiko, and Iris and Zero have their daughter Cero. Time passes, they end up growing up, and more uprising happens. Neon Tiger was the sole survivor of the war and is able to release the Sigma Virus a large city of Reploids and fighting starts up once more, calling the Hunters back into battle again led by X and Zero. Taiko is very smart and became a great scientist and technician like his dad, Cero however always looked up to her dad and becomes a hunter to her mom's dismay and enters the war alongside her dad years later on. I don't want to give away the ending, because it is very emotional and full of love/betral angst, but I was thinking about maybe adding a slight Cero/Axel/Taiko triangle, but I changed my mind, it was just an idea. But the ending is solid and set in stone, so get ready for a SHOCKER! No promises, I'm so busy with work and have no free time updates may be strung out, but if you review, I swear to you I will write and finish this story. Thank you. Title is inspired by the absolutely BEAUTIFUL song by Hoobastank, so enjoy!_

During peace time in the Hunter HQ, not much out of the ordinary was ever going on. With Sigma finally gone, the world entered a tranquil stage where people and Reploids alike all lived and worked together happily and cooperatively. The Hunters occasionally embarked upon governmental assignments whenever commander Signas saw so fit to chose, so MegaMan X continued to train the new recruits. The newest he had molded into an excellent covert spy to infiltrate an anti-government agency known as "Red Alert", and his name was Axel, he was the youngest of the group but X took a liking to him because he had reminded him of his own young self when Axel first enlisted to join shortly before the warring era of 20XX ended. X worked closely with the General and Colonel, whose sister Iris had been married to X's partner, the legendary special class a-lister, Zero. Another young married couple were the collage colleagues Alia and Gate, Alia who worked with Iris and Gate who worked in the lab with a great medical scientist named LifeSaver. Douglas the repair mechanic would often stop by to see what improvements he could make to his inventions in their lab, but mainly staid in the service bay to be around his parts. But other than that, nothing else much new has transpired…. well, except for one thing, if you may count it. Both of the two married couples had a child, Gate and Alia had a little boy, and Iris and Zero got a little girl. Their names were Taiko (which by the way means "drum" and Cero. About a decade had passed since the end of the war and peace was restored, Taiko was roughly about 12 and Cero was almost 10.

Seven am

"Come along now Taiko!" Alia called up the small stairwell. In the HQ, each person had their own living quarters, however for couples they had two bedrooms (one large and one small) with their own small bathroom and a kitchen/dining area. Those units were located at the end of the station so both families 'lived next door' to each other. Alia moved out of the kitchen area and looked up towards her son's room. "Taiko, I mean it now! Your dad can rise at six, I don't know why you can't ever be on time for your tutoring session."

"But mom!" Taiko whined as he approached the top of the stairway. "It's boring, I wanna do something fun with my life…" He slouched down the steps slowly.

"But you're only a child Taiko." Alia kissed his head as he went to sit down. "You should be lucky, when your father and I were young the war was beginning. You don't have to fight."

"But I want to learn how to be great, just like the story of X!"

"I know. But you are a very bright young man, you have great potential."

"I know mom, I know…" Taiko ate his breakfast as Alia finished putting away the dishes.

7:30 am

"Zero I swear, sometimes you are like a child…" Iris groaned, seeing her husband still in bed, their dog Rush sleeping beside him.

"Hey!" He moaned as she tore the cover off him.

"No, you're worse than a child. Your daughter has been up for a while now. Why is it you are so lazy?"

"Because it's peace time?" Zero shrugged with one eye open, still half asleep.

"And get that dog off the bed, I just did the laundry!" She shooed him with a pillow and he got off, running out of the room. "Breakfast is going off the table in 15 minutes mister!" She left and walked back down the hall into the kitchen/dining area. Alia and Gate had their bedrooms up above the bathroom and kitchen/dining area, whereas Iris and Zero's were a single story, storage for the station was above them, that's just how the building as designed. Iris smiled as she saw Cero taking out the trash, "How did you end up so well?"

"Because you raised me, mama." Cero giggled, and that made Iris happy as well. "I'm going to head off to my class now, I have a library book to return."

"And so smart too…"

"Don't get carried away mom, it was just that "Where's Waldo" book dad wanted." Cero paused. "You know, he never did find him… dad just figured it was a conspiracy."

"That sounds like him… well run off then, I'm sure you'll see Taiko on the way." Iris opened the door.

"Okay." Cero grabbed her book bag by the door, kissed Iris, and left. "Bye mama!"

"Have a nice day." Iris closed the door.

Cero looked next door as the door opened and Taiko came out with his back pack on, "Hey Taiko!"

"Oh hi Cero."

"Come on, it's Friday, that means one more lecture until the weekend!" Cero skipped.

"You're sure perky this morning." Taiko smirked.

"What's there not to be happy about?"

"I'm just bored with the same old routine I guess…"

"Don't worry, once we get older I'm sure things will get better… no, I know." Cero smiled, Taiko turned to see her bright cheerful face and that made him smile too.

"Thanks Cero, you always know what to say to make everything right." That comment made Cero giggle and give a peace/victory sign in his direction.

"Come on, we'll be late, hurry up!" Cero hurried off.

"Hey wait, come on…" Taiko ran to catch up.

8:15 am

"Good morning Alia." Iris smiled as she saw her friend in the courtyard garden.

"Hey there Iris." Alia looked up as she sat down next to her on the bench by the fountain. "How's that cold of yours doing?"

"It's alright, pretty much all gone just sometimes I get a little tickle in my throat there. But I sent Zero out to the little store on the corner to get me some lozenges."

"You could've sent him to see Gate, he left over an hour ago to start working. I'm sure he could've given him some cough drops for you."

"Come on now, with how famously our husbands get along? You know what would happen." Iris could just imagine it as she spoke. "Zero calling him an ice cream man, Gate grabs the nearest blunt object and beats him repeatedly, Zero grabs his lollypops, Gate starts poking him with a pointer until Zero starts crying…"

"Yeah, that wouldn't help you out very much… plus it'd use up a whole appointment time for one of Gate's patients." Alia laughed. "Well if Zero comes home drunk and empty handed, I'll have Gate bring some back from the office with him." Since Gate didn't have really many patients at the base what with the war over, he had opened his own practice which he partnered with LifeSaver in, so most of the time now he spent over there treating civilian Reploid patients.

"Thanks Alia, that's really nice of you."

Meanwhile, elsewhere….

"And what about that jerk Gate huh?" Zero was drunk in the bar already, X sitting next to his friend with a frown on his face. "Tapping on people all day to make a living, prodding them all day." He took another swig and it emptied the bottle. "And do you know how he

gets me to say 'ah' huh? He doesn't even TRY to ask, he just grabs a giant mallet and swings it into my guts… man he's such a loony toon, I SWEAR to you one time afterwards I had a mark on my stomach that read "ACME" on it… man…" Zero reached for another drink but the beer can was also empty.

"Because he KNOWS that you WON'T! You'll just start whining and yelling about how those sticks remind you of ice cream headaches... then he'll comment how a brainless idiot can't get brain freeze…. Zero don't you think you've had enough? Getting drunk already, it's only like nine!" X sighed, not that this wasn't unusual.

"Hey, you know what they say… it's five o'clock somewhere!" Zero laughed like an idiot.

Not to brush off an old one, but "Oh joy…" X put his hand on his forehead and groaned.

Later on that day…

"See you later Taiko, I'm going home!" Cero called as she left the classroom at the other end of the HQ. The library was in the room next door, she had already returned the book. Taiko was a lot smarter, and was almost a year older than her, so he staid afterwards to do more advanced work. As Cero walked down the hall she saw Axel, "Hey Axel!"

"Hi there Cero, have a nice day in class?"

"I guess… man Taiko kept on correcting that new tutor Signas hired, I mean I swear he's so smart sometimes I think that HE should be the teacher."

Axel laughed, "Well, he does have two very bright parents, they met in college and have two of the highest ranking university degrees in the whole HQ."

"Wow. So how is work with X going?"

"Pretty good, not much going on. You really like the Hunters doing you Cero?"

"Yeah, my dad was such a hero, I wish I could grow up to be just like him!"

"Your dad was one of the best there ever was, and hell, probably ever will be. I know how much you look up to him, but you're lucky you don't have to learn how to fight."

"I know, mom says the same thing… but sometimes it's like Taiko says, it feels so boring always doing the same thing. I mean, is there nothing out there better worth our time…?"

Axel laughed, "Hey you be careful, you're starting to even SOUND like Taiko now. If you start talking around your dad like that, he might not even understand."

"Hahah!" Cero laughed gleefully. "That's funny, but that's true."

Axel caught a glance of his watch, "Oh man it's almost 3:30 I have to report to Signas about Red. Excuse me."

"Yeah." Cero looked past him. "Looks like I'd better head home too, my dad's gonna need somebody to kiss his boo boos since mom went grocery shopping with Alia."

"Eh?" Axel turned around to see Gate beating up on Zero. "Ugh…" Axel smirked and slapped his head with one hand. "Gate knows injuring Zero is NOT considered job security…" That just made Cero laugh hardily once again.

Debriefing in Signas' office...

"And that's my report sir." Axel was standing at attention as Signas paced back and forward behind his desk.

Finally he sat down and sighed, "You're doing real good work there."

"Thanks captain."

"This 'Red Alert' unit of yours can be quite a problem. But I'm sure you can handle it, it's not like we have any Maverick uprising to worry about, what with Sigma having long since been defeated and all."

"Yes sir, I agree."

Signas smiled, "At ease there cadet, this isn't the military now."

"I'm sorry." Axel relaxed a bit. "I'm just used to it, what with serving under Red and all..."

"Don't worry, I have a feeling this will all soon be gone too. It'll just be a matter of time."

"Yes sir, I agree. Thank you sir."

"Why don't you go and get some rest now alright?"

"Okay, thanks." Axel bowed his head and left, the door automatically opened and closed behind him. Signas was left alone to think in his office again, he folded his hands and rested his chin upon them in thought.

6:30 pm

"Next time I'll give you something to cry about...!"

"You don't scare me, with your fancy Kinko's degree!"

"Why don't I FedEx my foot right strait into your..."

"Guys, stop it!" X whined, standing between the leering Gate and Zero, who were once again feuding like normally outside their homes. Friendly rivals, oh brother...

"Why do our dad's hate each other?" Cero wondered as she watched next to Taiko.

"They don't... you know the saying, you only hurt the ones you love?"

"Yeah." Cero sighed. "Then I guess our dad's must really care about each other."

"I'll bite you!" Zero threatened in the background.

"Here Iris." Alia was standing with her and handed her a small bag.

"Thanks." Iris accepted it and turned back to watch. Finally the fiasco ended and both families went inside to eat their (somehow still warm) dinners.

"So how was work today honey?" Alia asked her husband once Taiko had finished with the story about his class that day.

"Alright I guess." Gate swallowed his food. "But I had the strangest case come in today."

"Oh yeah? Head case?"

"Yeah. Some Reploid was really messed up, some kinda virus or something. I had LifeSaver admit him to the hospital so he could rest and we can observe him. But the symptoms... and he was really short tempered, and kinda nuts." Gate paused and smirked. "Almost kinda reminded me of that Maverick jerk Vile."

"I thought you were going to say "that jerk Zero" heh." Alia chuckled slightly to herself and went back to eating.

"Yeah." Gate smirked and went to take another bite and then paused. "Like Vile... like Zero..." He lowered his fork in thought, frowning at the idea he was pondering, and he did not like it at all one bit.

Midnight...

A figure was in the darkness of the Maverick cemetery outside of the old and demolished Sigma HeadQuarters. The building had been destroyed and everything inside it had been incinerated after the war for precaution. The Reploid was kneeling on a grave, and it was that of his brother, who had been killed in the war. As the clouds passed over the full moon the gravestone read 'Blizzard Wolf Fang'.

"Uh oh, whoops, wrong headstone..." Neon Tiger laughed nervously to himself, moved down one to the one entitled 'Slash Beast'. Neon Tiger sighed sadly with a frown. "Oh, my brother..."

"It's a pity you were the only one to survive... coward..."

"I'm sorry master, yes I agree, I wish somebody else had survived too."

"Shut up... look, do you understand my instructions now, after repeating them for the NINETH time already...!?"

"Yes sir, I go into the old HQ under the rubble and open the cellar door."

"Yes, there I think you will know what to do with what you find."

Following the instructions of the "mysterious voice" Neon Tiger did just that and upon opening the door heard an angry growl and saw...

"AH, Sigma's Dog!" He squealed cat-like.

"Idiot...! Look what he's holding around his neck!"

"Oh..." Neon Tiger carefully grabbed the container on the band around the snarling dog's collar. He looked at it and gasped, "Is this, what I think it is...?"

"Well it's not Love Potion Number Nine, I'll tell you that much."

"I know what I must do..." He stared, focused.

... (awkward pause)

"THEN DON'T JUST STAND THERE! DO IT!!"

"Yes sir!" Neon Tiger scrambled at the enraged yell.

Growl, "Boy do I wish Vile was the sole survivor... gees..."

PS: If you don't know who the 'voice' is, I will hurt you...

That night, Cero saw Zero sitting on the bed in his room... he was playing his old acoustic guitar. The song had a romantic tune, and although she thought it was the prettiest music she'd ever heard, it also felt kinda sad... and even as Zero strummed the chords and stared away, she could see the sorrow within his eyes.

'Why papa, why are you so sad in your thoughts...?'


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Come on, I know people are reading... I have about 50 hits... but you know you don't even have to give a positive review like the only ONE review somebody actually DID give. I don't care if you all give a negative review for every single chapter, just come on... this category used to thrive, back with 'missadventures' the fic was ALIVE! What's happened to MegaMan...!?_

MegaMan and Zero were in the conference room with Signas talking and laughing just like any normal roundabout conversation when Gate threw the doors open and burst in.

"Sir, I need to speak to you immediately!"

"Aw great, what are you blaming me for now dude?" Zero whined, purposely annoying as Gate made his way over. Gate just shot a glare at him as he past and stood before Signas.

"Yes, what is it Gate?"

"We have a problem." Gate wore a serious expression, causing X to watch him closely with care, usually Gate was never this upset with Zero, so he knew something was wrong, and really wrong at that.

"What, has something happened?" X finally spoke up quietly.

Zero became focused as well, sure he was a joker and an idiot but he knew when to get serious and he knew something was wrong, "What's going on?"

"This could be big." Gate looked at each of the three.

"Should I call for an impromptu meeting?"

"No sir, this should be kept just between all of us."

Noon…

"So then Taiko kicked the ball down the hall, it bounced around the corner and crashed right into a window!" Cero was laughing. "Taiko just ran and ran! The window didn't break because he didn't kick it that hard, but still he was just so freaked out!"

"Well you just tell him to be careful next time, he got lucky." Iris smiled, then turned to her husband who was barely nursing his lunch. "Sweetie, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Zero finally looked up from his blank stare.

Iris looked at him carefully as she swallowed the bite of her sandwich, "Do you have a fever?"

"Oh, no… no." Zero smiled. "I'm fine, just thinking."

"That's not like daddy." Cero whispered, and Iris nodded.

"Cero, why don't you go to your room and eat your lunch. I want to talk to your dad."

"Alright mama." Cero grabbed her glass and plate and went to her bedroom.

Iris moved her chair over closer to Zero's and leaned in to speak quietly to him, "This isn't like you, what's wrong, did something happen?"

"Something might be going on, but…" Zero didn't know what to do, he wanted to be honest with his wife, but at the same time he didn't want to worry her. "I, want to talk to you, but, I can't… Gate and Signas told me to keep it quiet."

Iris squinted, "So then, it could be bad…"

"I don't know, it could be nothing, but… I just don't want to go and say anything, that could be wrong or hurt you." Zero was speaking seriously and quiet, something that wasn't like him. So Iris knew he was not only trying to protect her but keep a secret, and secrets were something that Zero never told, even when drunk. Cero was sitting around the corner listening in, not to eavesdrop on purpose but she was just curious, she didn't like it when her dad wasn't like himself, she knew then it was something bad. Zero stood up, "I'm going to see X hon, I won't be long, I'll be back." He put the dishes in the sink, kissed Iris, and left.

Iris sighed, "Poor Zero, something bad must be going on. This is just the way he acted… before he left out for the war." Cero's eyes went wide.

A half hour later…

Zero still hadn't returned and Iris was trying not to worry, after cleaning up the kitchen after lunch she went into their room and was surprised to find Cero on their bed fiddling with Zero's guitar, Rush was sleeping on the ground below her.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh!?" Cero whirled around and blushed.

Iris chuckled a bit, "I don't know how your dad would react if you broke his guitar."

"I'm not going to break it, I was just trying to play it…" Cero tried to strum some of the chords, she was trying to copy the tune she'd heard her dad play.

"It's pretty."

"I know…"

"Are you worried?"

"I heard you and daddy talking, I'm sorry… I'm just, scared."

Iris' face softened as she sat down, putting an arm around her, "You don't have to worry. I'm not. This is just not like him, but if something were ever to happen, your dad is only called into battle if it's something really bad. X has raised a great army, and you know Axel. I have faith that nothing bad will happen, your dad already fought for our freedom, and he did well, it was because of him that they won and destroyed Sigma and his empire. I know that there is nothing more evil in the world than a Maverick like him. And all the Maverick's are gone."

"Forever?"

"Forever." Iris hugged her, but still deep down, Cero wasn't fully convinced.

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

"He's starting to go nuts again." LifeSaver was writing on the clipboard he was holding.

"I know, they're getting more violent and spontaneous." Gate was observing the Reploid from the other side of the glass as he started go to crazy and thrash around the study room. "So is it positive then?"

"The Maverick virus I injected into him didn't have any effect, which means he's already contracted it."

"And the Zero antidote?"

"Didn't help, this strain must be more evolved."

"So, what should we do about it now then?"

"I think now, Signas should call for that emergency meeting."

"Do you think there could be more?"

"Well, we'll be finding out shortly if there are… X and Zero will be called into action."

"Yes, that's right…"

Later that afternoon…

Everyone had gathered around the table in the conference room. X, Zero, Iris, Gate, Alia, Douglas, Colonel, Axel, General, LifeSaver, and Signas finally approached the podium at the head of the table.

"Thank you for coming after such short notice." Signas cleared his throat. "I'd like to say thanks to Gate and LifeSaver for calling this meeting."

"Gate and LifeSaver…" Cero was looking through the crack in the door and listening, it wasn't like them to call a meeting so something important was happening.

"You shouldn't be spying Cero…" Taiko lectured with a sigh.

"We aren't."

"Yeah, WE aren't… YOU are."

"Oh stop being such a mama's boy." Cero rolled her eyes and continued to spy.

"I'm afraid they've made quite a discovery. Gate…?" Signas let him take the floor.

"Thanks." Gate stood up and took a deep breath. "Well folks it looks like we have yet another problem on our hands to face and eliminate."

"You know you can count on us, Gate." Axel said with determination.

"Yes, right, thank you." Gate nodded with acknowledgement but then continued. "It seems this is similar to the situation about 13 years ago."

"But that was when the war began." Iris spoke up.

"Exactly, a war that lasted the best of nearly three years."

"So then you don't think…" Alia frowned, not liking where this was going.

"No I don't think, I know I'm sure."

LifeSaver stood up beside his colleague, "It appears that the Maverick Virus has been re-released, only we tried the Zero antidote but it didn't prove successful. It's immune."

"In other words too weak…" Zero growled through clenched teeth.

"I'm afraid so." LifeSaver continued. "We don't know how or why this has happened, seeing as everyone had been eliminated during the war. A vile may have been hidden somewhere and it leaked out into the public."

"We'll have to excavated the ruins and do some research." X deducted.

"That would be for the best." Signas nodded in agreement. "X, I'm going to have you take Axel with you for this mission. I don't sense any danger in a scouting assignment, search and discover the cause and ascertain who is doing this now and why."

"Right, understood." X and Axel nodded.

"But hey, what about me?" Zero raised his hand.

"I think we need to keep you here with us." Gate sighed sadly.

"AW!"

"Could NOT agree more…" Gate rolled his eyes.

"Wait…" LifeSaver paused. "As much as I, love, having Zero around…" Zero made a pouty face, folding his arms. "I don't think a new Zero vaccine will do the trick."

"Aw what, so no lab tests and humiliation? Oh how horrible, I'm crushed. Guess I'll have to tag along with X and…" Zero stood up.

"Not so fast Zero." Gate turned to LifeSaver. "I agree that a new vaccine derived from Zero's DNA won't be able to help. Zero is Zero, no matter how he has changed."

"But what else do we have left to go on? We have the berserk Reploid, and Zero. He may not be a Maverick but he used to be one, and although he's changed and time has passed he may be the only one link we have to use." LifeSaver's words caused Cero to gasped in fear.

"Huh? What is it?" Taiko looked over his shoulder from sitting on the floor down the hall.

"Look, why don't X and I just go on ahead, and after Zero figures out what to do, he can join us or not." Axel stood up in protest. "We could be wasting time here talking."

"I agree. X, Axel, dispatch. Alia, keep in contact via headset."

"Roger." Alia stood up at Signas' command and the trio left.

Signas folded his hands, "Zero, I may not know much about science and medicine, but I think you should stay with Gate and LifeSaver. You may not like it, neither of you may, but I think we need to eliminate the Zero factor."

"Yeah, yeah…" Zero sighed and stood up, leaving along with Gate and LifeSaver.

"Come along now…" Gate picked up the pace.

"Oh this is going to be fun…" LifeSaver rolled his eyes.

"What should we do, sir?" Douglas asked.

"We should wait and see what information the two groups turn up for us. That's all we can do."

"Right." Colonel and General stood up, bowed their heads and left.

"I'll get my work space ready, just in case X and Axel need any weapons transported." Douglas left the room too.

Signas nodded and then turned to Iris, "Hey. Are you alright?"

"Huh?" She looked up and sighed, turning away. "I'll be fine…"

"I know you're worried… but I assure you that this will not be a war, if we nip this in the bud we can eliminate the last Maverick threat."

"I just worry, for Zero's sake…"

"I know what you mean. But he's immune to the Maverick Virus seeing as he used to be one. His mind and heart may be good and pure, but his body is still the same he had when he was an evil menace. A body doesn't make up a person, their soul does. And Zero's soul is on our side. He's the only clue we have left to go off from."

"I know, and I understand, but he's my husband, and I love him… I just worry about him, if anything were ever to happen to him, I… I don't know what Cero and I would do."

"We will put your worries to rest, my dear." Signas stood up, patted her shoulder and left.

Iris sighed, "I know in my head that all will be well, but my heart continues to heart continues to worry as I wait… but still, that is all I can do…" She got up and left too.

Taiko looked around the corner where he and Cero had gone into hiding, "I wasn't paying attention. You were listening, what's going on, is there something big or bad happening?" He got no reply, so he turned to his friend's direction, "Cero…? Hey, what's wrong with you?" He crouched in front of her, "Are you okay?"

Cero's face was pale with horror as she covered her mouth in shock as she thought to herself, "No. Daddy… was, a Maverick!?" She didn't get it, she did not understand.


	3. Chapter 3

"Zero, come down here this instant!" Gate demanded.

"No!" Zero whined, hanging onto the pipe bar on the ceiling, clinging to it like a sloth.

"We're not going to hurt you!"

"Speak for yourself." LifeSaver droned.

"You're gonna stick me in the but, I know it!" Zero cried.

"Trust me, I'd never do that." Gate scoffed.

"Seriously now Zero, get down here right now."

"Fine…" Zero obeyed LifeSaver and hung down off the pipe off his arms.

"I swear, I'm not going to touch you…" Gate swore.

"Alright, so what do you want then." Zero landed on both feet, the water pipe exploding into steam onto them. They all stood there for a few seconds until it stopped and they were left sopping wet.

LifeSaver dried himself with a towel, "I'm not worried about you, you are, were, a Maverick. There are countless Reploids that could fall victim, hurt others, and themselves."

"Yes, yes, I know that." Zero shook like a dog, sending the water from his hair onto Gate, who groaned angrily.

"But there is one person in particular that we are very concerned about. Somebody really important." LifeSaver lowered his brow.

"Who?" Zero became serious.

At the ruins of Sigma's old HQ…

"Ugh, man, the memories of this place huh…" Axel shivered.

"Yeah, tell me about it." X turned over some of the rubble. "Never thought I'd have to come back here ever again, but I guess I don't mind if it's deserted and without any annoying Maverick's to fight."

"And Sigma."

"Yes, and Sigma." X laughed and stepped on something that made a strange thud. "Hey I think this is it." X kicked off some of the rocks and debris to see a cellar door. "Yeah, we found it."

"Awesome, let's open it up." Axel crouched down and they both pulled on one of the doors to open the deep dark basement.

"Hey Alia, we're in." X said as he led the way down the steps.

"Roger." Ala fiddled with her headset. "Caution, it's breaking up X, it might be deep or have a jamming station."

"Don't worry Alia, I don't think we'll be running into anything really threatening." Axel chuckled.

"Wait." X paused.

"What, what is it?"

"Didn't you hear something just now?"

"No, why, did you?"

"I don't know…" X pulled out a light and flicked it on, looking around. "Oh my gosh, it's an underground lab!"

"Found a light!" Axel flipped the switch and the room was dimly lit, only some of the bulbs were working.

"My God. Look at this place…"

"I think they're all empty though…" Axel looked at some of the beakers, most of the stuff was broken on the floor.

"Wait, I heard it again now! Something is down here, in here with us…" X powered up his buster.

Axel looked around nervously, sensing it too now "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"Look out!" X whirled around as something leaped out of the shadows and attacked.

"Ah!" Axel dodged and turned to see. "Sigma's dog!?"

"How is it still alive!?" X shot at it but it jumped out of the way just in time. "Darn!"

"Wait a sec, what's that on him!" Axel landed after another dodging leap.

"On his neck, yes I see it… that collar looks like it was made in order to hold something."

"I'll tackle him, you grab it!"

"Right."

"Fetch, doggie!" Axel shot at him, causing him to jolt to the side. "Ah, gotcha!" Axel rolled onto him.

"Hold it…!" X dashed over and grabbed the collar, they both jumped back. "Got it!"

"Let's see what it is." Axel said as both he and X jumped on top of a high file cabinet where the barking mutt couldn't reach them.

X inspected it in his hand, turning it over, "Hmm. I'm not really sure what it was for, but, I'm sure Douglas can analyze it back at the lab, we can see not only whose finger prints are on it but when they were on it and maybe we can trace what was being held. For all we know, Sigma could've hidden a vile of the virus and his dog released it by attacking innocent Reploids."

"Right, let's go."

"What about Fido there?"

"Oh, no prob." Axel shot him.

X blank and paused, "Wow, that was cold…"

"Eh, life's a bitch."

Meanwhile, back at the Hunter Base...

"Look, will you just tell me WHO this person is already!?" Zero was getting short tempered again.

"This isn't easy... it's somebody very close to you." Gate sighed quietly.

"Iris?"

"No."

"X?"

"No."

"...you?"

"I don't mean physically, I mean you love her."

"So it's a girl... well, it can't be your wife, then..."

"For the love of...!" LifeSaver groaned. "It's your damn daughter, Cero! Gees...!"

Zero froze, "What, Cero...? But..."

"How? Why? I'll tell you." Gate began. "You and Iris are star crossed lovers, she a Reploid, you were a Maverick, you had a child, she is half and half, both a Maverick and Reploid in body. If she could come into contact with the Sigma Virus it could destroy her."

"But are you sure...?"

"No, and that's the problem, we don't know for sure. For all we know it could just revert her as well, but we can't take any chances with her, she is still only a child."

"Why are you telling me all of this...?"

"Because, I would never tell Iris, she is too fragile a lady, I couldn't bare to see her heart break. You're a think blockhead, but you have a big compassionate heart. So I trust you to keep this secret."

"I'll do whatever I can in order to protect the ones I love."

"Even go back out into a possible war?"

"Of course. I'd gladly die for my own daughter's safety. I would rather die then see her become infected by the virus and destroyed, she's just a little girl, no child should have to suffer it."

"Signas believes if there are more and somebody is releasing the virus, a war could break out."

"Then we'll have to fight." Zero growled. "And fight I will."

"Oh and Zero." LifeSaver stepped up. "You do have an enlarged heart, you really do need to cut back on the beer and what not."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Zero, are you listening!?"

"Uh huh..." He was pulling the cotton end off a q-tip. Gate and LifeSaver just rolled their eyes at each other, back to being the same old Zero again.

That night...

Iris was sleeping peacefully but Zero was tossing and turning, muttering in his dreams and he snapped awake, "Ah... ugh." He held his head. "These dreams of mine, they're like visions of the future... but they're so horrible. All I can see is bloodshed from fighting, and the pain of war, and Reploids dying." He shook his head. "And it's all... it's so horrible, all the suffering, and creating so much pain…"

"Honey?"

"Huh?" Zero turned to see Iris open her eyes and sit up.

"You're mumbling. What's wrong, something on your mind?"

"I've been having bad dreams all night, I can't sleep."

"Just relax your mind."

"I can't..."

"Have you talked to Gate and LifeSaver?"

"They know... they're the ones who got the idea into my head, if I talk to them even more who knows what else I could be hallucinating about."

"You haven't been yourself today since the meeting with Signas, I know something is wrong. You didn't even drink tonight, talk to me baby."

Zero bit his lip, "I want to be honest with you... Iris, if a war were to start, I would be sent out. My body is a Maverick, I am immune and the best fighter, it could be our only chance."

"Don't you think I know that?" She smiled. "I've made peace with the thought and I have faith in you. Again you are the best, it's because of you we won the last war. Zero, you do what you know in your heart you feel you must."

Zero sighed, "I just wish it wouldn't have to come to this..."

"I know honey." She hugged him and sighed. Zero shut his eyes, in his mind, he knew what he would have to do if the future he saw in his dreams came to pass, and it pained him so just to think of it. It was just a dream, and dreams are nothing but compellations of your thoughts and events from the day, it's not real, they can haunt you but they can't hurt you, and they don't predict the future… right? He thought the fighting was over, and yet now it was all going to be begining, again.


	4. Chapter 4

Sure enough, it wasn't too long before reports on the news started talking about Maverick uprising and destruction and the Governor was alerting all Reploids to take caution and keep in safe places. The government once again called upon the Maverick Hunters to neutralize this virus, so sure enough X, Zero and Axel were rounding up the troops that they had readily prepared for such an occasion, though they all hoped it would never again arise to this. Douglas had analyzed the collar to see that it was in fact Neon Tiger's prints and there were some drops of the virus detected on it so they knew it was him who had spread it.

"But why Neon Tiger, wasn't he destroyed?" X had thought.

"We made sure to destroy all Maverick's, there weren't any survivors left to take prisoner from the battle." Axel recalled. "There was however only one Maverick that had been earlier detained and imprisoned in jail. And that was Neon Tiger."

"But." X pointed out. "Reports a few months ago indicated he broke out and had yet to be captured."

"Damn, I hate that guy! I wish I had just killed him..." Zero growled.

"Don't worry, this is all just starting again." X put a hand on his shoulder. "If we act quickly now I doubt a war will ensue and this will just be a clean up operation."

Zero sighed, "We can only hope so..."

So over the next few weeks after Douglas readied the armory and did check ups on all of the machines and armor for X. Gate and LifeSaver made sure everyone was physically checked out and okay to go, well except for Zero, neither of them was about ready to touch that train wreck. So X, Zero, General and Colonel were ready to dispatch with their classes of troops. Axel was to stay behind, not only because they needed somebody to hold down the fort in case of an attack, but because they didn't want to reveal him with the Hunters in case Red Alert got involved. So the faithful day came all too soon, X and Zero were given their assignments and were set to leave for their locations.

"Good luck to you all." Signas stood before his grand army of Hunters. "I have faith that I shall see you all again, and I know you will come back home quickly."

"If you ever need help, you know where to find me." Axel gave a salute as he stood with a large group of reserve Hunters.

"We'll miss you out there." X smiled as he and Zero gave the salute as well.

"Be careful brother." Iris saluted.

"I will, don't worry." Colonel saluted back.

"Ready men?" General turned around and everyone let out a battle cry and gave a salute back to him.

"Move out!" Signas boomed and they all readied to go.

"Daddy! Daddy...!"

"Huh, Cero...?" Zero turned at the small voice to see his daughter shoving through the other Hunters.

"Daddy!" She panted as she reached him, rushing into him and hugging him tightly.

"Hey, hey there now kido, what's the matter?"

"I don't want you to go daddy, I don't want you to leave us!" She was crying, she didn't understand, she was young and the world of war was foreign to her.

Zero sighed, hating to see the tears in her eyes, he set down his helmet and put his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry honey, but I have to, it's my job, and I want to protect you. I promise I will be alright."

"NO!" Cero grabbed onto his arms tightly, her arms welling up. "I don't want you to be a hero anymore! It means nothing if all it means is that you can die!"

"But Cero, I would gladly die to save you. You and your mother mean the world to me."

"But you are the world to me!" Cero swallowed to catch her breath as she tried one last time to beg and plead with her father, "Please, don't go...?"

"I'm sorry." Zero sighed and shut his eyes, standing up he picked up his helmet and turned to walk off with the rest of his troops. He kept walking putting one foot in front of the other, not wanting to look back no matter how hard he wanted to. He put on his helmet, he could still feel Cero's eyes on the back of his head. He could remember the words she had told him when she was still very small, 'you're my hero daddy and you always will be'. "I'm sorry Cero..."

Finally everyone was gone and the war room was empty except for Cero as she fell to her knees, "Dad..." She began to cry.

"Cero..." Iris walked over and bent down, putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Why, why does he have to go and fight mama?" Her tearful eyes met hers. "You said the Mavericks were all gone, forever!"

Iris jolted a bit and sighed, "Sometimes... sometimes even mommies are wrong honey..."

Cero sniffed as he tears began to fall again, she hugged onto her, "Mommy..."

"It's okay honey, I know, I know..." Iris choked, trying not to cry herself, worrying for her husband, as she held her daughter close.

That night...

As everyone slept, Cero was wide awake staring out the window at the clear star filled sky wondering if he was looking up at the moon too, "Please, don't go... cause I finally know... that the past is gone, and I was wrong." She looked down at Zero's guitar which she had brought into her room and she began to cry again quietly. "And I was wrong..."

The four units were sent to the four trouble spots where the Mavericks were instinctively heading. The virus had spread from Metropolis City, and so after being infected and running amok, they would head to the nearest of the four territories. Zero was sent to the territory of water and lakes in the coastal beach area. General was sent to the flatter territory in the middle. Colonel was sent to the tropics for the jungle terrains. And as for X, the most experienced, he was sent to the cold and rugged terrain of the canyons and valleys, way up in the hills. They all figured it would be easy, surprise attack and capture the Mavericks to cure them, Gate and LifeSaver were working furiously to find an antidote and were very close. But they were wrong to assume, and it was that false foresight which would cause their detainment operation to lead into a full scale assault that would eventually turn into a war.

About Four Years Later…

"And it is with great joy that we announce the return home of our Hunter soldiers." Signas was talking on the news at the Governor's mansion. Everyone at HQ let out a cheer as did those people watching at home. "We are pleased to announce that the war is 95 contained. Our brilliant scientists discovering the antidote six months ago helped us gain some serious grounds, and now the threat has subsided. There are still Maverick's out there, but we don't require an army to detain them, so that is why I'm calling our Maverick Hunters back home, and again thank you for a job well done." Another roar went out at the crowd in front of the mansion where Signas was having the media conference. "I would like to answer any questions the press may have…?"

"Yes, a question commander!" A female's voice rang out. "When the fighting first began, you have to admit you did NOT for see a war lasting all these years."

Signas smirked, "I agree, none of us thought it would come to this, but Maverick's are sneaky creatures, but we were ready should the situation have arrived, and since it did we had the Hunters to detain it."

"Why did it take so long?" A younger male voice called.

"This new strain was harder to find a cure for, and the Maverick's were more wild and harder for the new recruits to take down. We're just glad we found it when we did and it didn't take four more years. Any other questions?"

"Do you know who is responsible…?" Somebody broke the silence, there was a pause.

"Yes."

"Have you caught them yet?"

"…no."

"Why?"

"Uh…" Signas bit his lip.

"This conference is over." The Governor stepped up and everyone began to protest and snap photos for the papers. "The commander has to get back, the war is not yet won people…!"

"Thank you." Signas blushed as the Governor got into the limo with him. "I always get flustered when it comes to live media."

"It's alright." The limo drove away with them. "I was like that too until I became governor, you kinda have to have a stage presence when you deal with the press all the time."

"Yeah, I'd bet." Signas laughed.

"Driver, airport."

"Right sir." The driver nodded back to the Governor as he and Signas relaxed.

Meanwhile, all of the Hunters were making the journey back…

"I can't believe we can finally get to go home!" General was saying after his platoon had met up with the Colonel's. "I'm also glad we weren't among those who had to stay in order to do clean up and round up the last few stragglers in the area."

"Yeah, and I can't wait to see my little sister, I've been so worried about her."

"Well Axel has already gone back, he was there for a while too to hold down the base, and after he left they had significant others who attacked intruders and kept it safe."

"Yeah, I wonder who they found among Axel's ranks…" Colonel wondered.

"It's no matter, at least they found somebody. Either way, we'll be able to swap stories with everyone once we get back. We're only about a half day away."

Elsewhere…

"X, you aren't going home?"

"No Zero." X said into his communicator, they were having a conversation. "There are still a lot in the mountains, and I personally want to see to it that we eliminate every last one."

"But, I was called back… I'm not being asked to stay, can't say I mind but I'm gonna miss the surfing and the beach."

"Well, that's because you're so good and talented you were able to destroy and cure a lot more than my group and so you get to go home earlier."

"Yeah, that's true, I guess that must be it." Zero laughed.

"And besides, you have a family who misses you."

"Yeah, that too…" Zero became quiet.

"Anyway Zero, I have to get some rest, you have a safe journey home."

"Alright, have a good sleep, and come back quickly and safely."

"You don't have to worry, you know I will. X out." X turned off his communicator and went down for the night.

Somewhere…

"Little do those fools know, that the worst is yet to come… Eh heheh, bwa ha hah!"

"Hahaha…!" Neon Tiger laughed with the voice, he was hiding outside the Hunter base.

"Quiet, you don't get to laugh."

"Sorry sir…!"

The next afternoon…

"Son, be careful with that." Gate scolded the 14 year old.

"Sorry dad." Taiko fumbled as he was cleaning the lab. He was a very smart young man now, he had grown up to be just like his father, an ingenious scientist, and it was because of his helpful research that they even found the antidote when they did.

"Are you boys almost done?" Alia came in through the door as it opened. "They should be back anytime now today."

"I know, I know…" Gate sighed.

"Hey, where did Cero go mom?" Taiko asked, looking around. "Have you seen her?"

"I don't know, she might be with her mother…"

Outside HQ…

"Cero, don't wait out there too long now, it's chilly and you have no coat, I don't want you to catch cold." Iris called out of the window as she was cleaning her bedroom to get it ready for Zero.

"Don't worry mom, I won't." Came Cero's voice in the reply back. Iris sighed and went back to work with a smile on her face. Typical mom, Cero rolled her eyes smirking.

"They're back, they're back!" Douglas called happily.

"What, oh no did they come the other way…?" Cero looked around from on the rock she was sitting on.

"Where are you going Zero…?" Came a voice.

"I'm going around this way, I wanna sneak up and get in to surprise Iris." Zero was laughing and he came around the corner. "Eh…?" He paused when he saw the young teenager, he blinked. Cero was frozen as she saw the man before her, it had seemed to be so long she almost didn't recognize him, his hair had changed and his helmet was off and held to the side. And even though his daughter had grown up and looked so much different, and it pained Zero to realize that she had grown up and changed so much with him gone, but he could still recognize who she was. "Cero…?"

"Dad…?" They both just blinked and stared silently at each other for what seemed to be yet another eternity.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** _YAY! well this isn't actually 'The' sequel, it's more like a 'what if' sequel... ie. everyone hated the fact that I killed off Zero... even me, heh... soo this is a 'what if Zero didn't die' sequel... kinda sorta... I dunno, lol, well anyways, enjoy it. ;D Happy St. Patty's Day all! -puts a funel in Zero's mouth and pours down the green beers-_

"It's been so long Zero, but it feels like almost yesterday you were eating here at the table getting ready to leave for the war." Iris was saying at their first family dinner in practically four years.

"Yeah, it has been a while, and I can't wait to catch up." Zero took a bite, wearing a big grin. "Boy did I miss this… and there's, uh, something else, I look forward to doing again… eh? EH!? Alright…" Zero snickered as he elbowed Iris.

"Enough…" She whispered, blushing, and she finally noticed Cero who hadn't touched her plate. Finally she sighed quietly and stood up, leaving the table. "That's odd." Iris frowned. "She's always so polite and excuses herself, but it seems like she's been so depressed since you came back."

"What…!?" Zero put down his fork hard. "She should be happy I'm back!"

"Zero… a lot has happened and changed while you were all away." Iris' words caused him to turn back to her. "She's growing up, she's becoming a young lady."

"My God… maybe it's been longer than I thought." He stood up. "Either way, I'm still going to go talk to her." Cero was in her room petting Rush on her bed when Zero knocked on the door and opened it, "Uh, hey honey."

"Oh, hi dad."

"Don't you 'hi dad' me, I know something's going on." He sat down as she moved aside with a sigh. "What's wrong, don't you feel better now, why don't you be happy?"

"Oh, I am happy you're back, dad, I really am." She spoke quietly, her voice had changed yet Zero could still hear the little girl he'd left behind. "But, you were gone, and I continued to grow up without you… and I hated it, I wanted you there, I wanted to be with you daddy!" She looked up at him with the same sad eyes that had seen him off.

"Cero…" He stared at her until finally she had to turn away. "Are you not feeling well? Is it some kinda lady thing…?" He lowered his brow and she rolled her eyes. "Cause if it is then you'll have to talk to your mother about that cause…"

"Dad!" Cero whirled around, causing him to stop. "You want to know what my problem here is…? Maybe my problem, is YOU!"

"Me..!?"

"Maybe it's because you've been gone out of my life for so long that you've failed to see how much that I've grown up…" She sighed sadly. "Like it or not, I'm not daddy's little girl anymore…" She stood up. "I'm sorry dad, you were my hero once." She walked out of the room.

Rush looked up at Zero as he sighed but then wore an admitted smirk, "Boy Rush… she's becoming a woman alright…" Rush just groaned as he rolled his eyes and put his head back down on his paws.

In Signas' office…

"Again Axel, thank you so much for all of you dedication and very hard work." Signas smiled.

"Thank you sir." Axel wore a big grin.

"You not only held down the fort, but you helped destroy the 'Red Alert' group, and also went out into battle during the war."

"X trained me well, I guess."

"X knew you had the heart and the determination kid, you deserve a nice long rest, take a break and enjoy your time back."

"I will, thanks." Axel nodded and left, he walked down the hall back towards his quarters.

"Hey, Axel?"

"Huh?" Axel turned to see Cero step out from around the corner. "Cero, hi!"

"Uh, hey, can I talk to you a sec about something?"

"Huh, sure, yeah what's up?" Axel walked over to her.

She sighed and leaned up against the wall, "It's about my dad."

"Oh, yeah..?"

"Yeah." She closed her eyes to think for a moment. "I'm so happy he's back home, but a part of me feels cold and betrayed and I can't shake the feeling. He still sees me for who I was four years ago, a little girl, but I'm not a child anymore Axel, I'm growing up and he can't see that, he doesn't realize how much I've changed. And when he left me, I felt so alone, like he turned his back on me and everything he'd told me. I believed mom when she said Mavericks were gone and that peace would last forever. And that's when I heard…"

"Heard what?"

Cero bit her lip, she knew Axel knew but she didn't want to reveal that she knew her father used to be a Maverick, "Nothing, never mind. Axel, should I stay mad at my dad?"

"What?"

Cero turned to look up at him, "How long should I stay mad at him, Axel…?"

Axel sighed and put his hands on her shoulders, "I can't answer that, you know him better than anyone else would… you have to look into your heart and ask yourself."

Cero sighed but smirked, "I kinda figured you'd say something like that." That made him laugh, but she hugged him. "Thank you Axel."

"Sure Cero, anytime." Axel smiled as he returned the embrace.

Back with Iris and Zero…

"I just don't get it Iris, she must get it from you…" Zero was pacing.

"Honey, please." Iris sighed.

"That or you gotta choose another family doctor to take her to other than Gate, maybe he's rubbing off on her… calling me a problem." Zero muttered, starting to turn into another Gate rant. "Tell me to turn my head and cough you damn arrogant ass bastard, I'll cough in your face if I want to damnit! Jerk…!"

"Look, you're not really angry at Gate, hun... I'm sure you're just over reacting."

"No, seriously! I feel awful! She was right dear, but still I'm a Hunter and I knew this choice would come and even when I married you and decided to have a child I continued to work in my chosen field!"

"But it's your destiny."

"Screw my destiny! You and Cero became my destiny the moment I chose to have a family."

"Zero…" Iris sighed and he stopped to catch his breath and collect his thoughts. Just then there was a huge boom and the building shook. "Ah!" Iris stumbled but caught herself on the wall.

"What was that, earthquake…?" Zero growled, now even more shaken up.

"Intruder alert, intruder alert!" Alia's voice was heard over the intercom.

"Crap." Zero growled and grabbed his light saber. "I didn't think they would be attacking the base." He rushed to the door.

"You were gone four years honey, of course they attacked the base... many times. But look we're all still alright, because we had somebody else to protect us." She was smiling.

Zero turned to her, "Wait, you what…?"

"The blast came from the roof over the front door!" Axel was running down the hall with some of the other reserve recruits he had been training.

"Take this!" Came a voice followed by another smaller blast that recoiled down the hall.

"Ah, are we too late?" Axel covered his eyes from the smoke.

"Take cover, I'm here!" Zero leaped out of the dust and stood before Axel.

"Zero!"

"Are you guys alright, what's going on?"

"We're fine, somebody just blasted the intruders."

"What, it wasn't you guys?" Zero turned back around and rushed over to face the combating foes. "Never fear, for Zero is here to slay the… evil…" Zero paused.

"Ah, yah!" Cero slashed the other of the two intruding Mavericks down in the middle and its lifeless body halves fell.

"Cero…!" Zero was pale and in shock as he uttered her name.

"Huh? Oh hey papa!" Cero whirled around with a beaming smile on her face from the excitement of the battle. "Check it out!" She held up Zero's old light saber. "See, I can be a great Hunter too!"

Later…

"No, no, NO!" Zero was fuming, pacing back and forward again, but this time both Iris and Cero were there.

"Honey don't, you're over reacting again." Iris reached out from sitting next to her upset daughter.

"Leave me alone Iris!" Zero's snap caused her to jerk back, but he was too pissed off to apologize but Iris knew he didn't mean it.

"Look do you think I like having my little girl be a hero just like her dad?"

"You knew about this." He stepped up in her face. "And you didn't tell me! I'm her dad, it's because of ME that she wanted to become a Hunter! She's just like me!!"

"She idolized you Zero, you were her hero. When you left us she was devastated!" Iris yelled back, Cero looked at the floor feeling terrible for making her parents fight. She felt like a child again, and she hated it. "When the war became worse and Axel was called out, we didn't have very many good fighters to protect us. Cero took it upon herself, she found your old saber and she joined the action when we were attacked by Mavericks here at the base. She was amazing Zero. It was to my dismay as well, so don't you yell at me here!"

"Then who should I be yelling at, huh!?"

"Well how about yourself why not!"

"Uh…" Zero froze at Iris' outbreak, his face twiched.

"It's nobody's fault…"

"Huh?" Zero and Iris turned to Cero.

"If anyone is to blame it's me, I made the choice, the decision is my own. I'm not a little girl anymore you guys, I'm growing up, and I can make my own decisions now, I don't need any help to live my own life. And besides, I'm the daughter of the great Hunter Zero, what else was I supposed to do when we were under attack other than to grab a saber and join on in. I wanted to do it, you were my hero dad, but when you left me I had no hero left in my life… so it was time for me to get a new hero, and maybe I chose that I wanted to be that hero."

"Cero…" Zero was shocked. She shook her head with sad frustration and walked off. "Cero!" She closed the door behind her and was gone out into the base. Zero sighed and flopped onto the sofa, "Damn it all…why am I such a dumb ass…?"

Iris sighed and sat down next to him, "Don't blame yourself, it's alright now… you're back, she won't have to fight anymore."

"She's half Maverick honey, her personality takes right after me. She's not a child anymore, she's becoming an adult and can make her own choices. I know what she will decide on, she'll want to become a great Hunter just like me…"

Elsewhere in the base…

"I just don't get things sometimes Taiko, you're smart, you explain them to me." Cero was sitting down next to him in the empty meeting room.

"Uh, er, I um, don't know…" Taiko made a helpless smirk to apologize.

"Oh, this is just destiny I guess then…. I mean, everything happens for a reason. Everyone always says I take after my dad, so maybe it's just my fate to be a Hunter, and it's because my parents still see me as a child that they're taking it so bad."

"I guess…" Taiko shrugged.

"I dunno though, my fate is like my father's, but… maybe that's just because I'm a half breed…"

"Huh, a what?"

Cero had forgotten about Taiko, she was speaking her thoughts out loud, "After all, his heart may have changed but dad did used to be a Maverick…"

"HE WHAT…!?"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** _Sorry it too SUCH a super long time to update, but I've been busy with work and I haven't had much time to come to a computer online cause my cat Kimberly died and I've just been absolutly devistated and totally upset, I'm really beaten up and torn about it so I'm dedicating everything to her memory. Also make sure you read up on my other MMX story, I finally finished writing that one as well so review and I'll update it too. Enjoy this chapter, and I promise I'll really try and update both stories sooner, it's just that, well... you know. sorry, enjoy._

"Oh my gosh!" Cero gasped as she slapped both hands over her mouth, oopsie!

"Whoa, are you serious!?" Taiko's jaw was dropped at what Cero had just said.

"Uh oh…" Cero looked around nervously.

"That's insane Cero!" Taiko cried.

"Shh!" Cero jumped up and covered his mouth. "Be quiet! Nobody else knows, you're the only one that's heard it from me."

"Wait, so how does nobody else know that…"

"NO." Cero shook her head. "Everybody knows, BUT only you know that I know. Nobody wants me to know."

"Wait…" Taiko paused to think a moment. "Oh… I see now, I get it."

"So then you see how you have to keep this quiet, alright?"

Taiko nodded, "Right, I can keep it a secret."

Cero smiled with relief, "Thanks Taiko. I knew I could count on you."

"But wow, a Maverick…"

"Yeah." Cero sighed with a slight smirk. "Who would've ever thought it huh?"

"I know, a hero like him… what, what are you going to do now?"

"Huh…?"

"About, well you know, it…"

"Oh, well, nothing."

"Nothing."

"Yup." Cero nodded, smiling. "He may have been one once, but he's not now, he's a legendary hero, he's a good guy."

"I dunno, it's iffy…"

"Maybe to you, but I know my dad… he's a real hero." Cero closed her eyes with a grin.

Taiko looked at her, first she was upset with her dad and the next she was praising him and calling him a hero. "Aw man, girls are so complicated…" He sighed to himself.

Cero decided to brush it off and continue to act as if nothing had happened, because after all it was in the past, and the past can't hurt you, it can only make you stronger… right? A few years passed, all of the Hunters had returned home, occasionally somebody would be called out to take care of a straggler here or there, but nothing major. Both Cero and Taiko were older teens now, about 20 and 21. Cero still told nobody her secret, and Taiko staid loyal to keeping it too. They both had grown closer as well, their lifelong friendship evolving into something more… but something was about to come in the way of their happy future lives together.

"Hey, Cero!"

"Huh?" Cero turned to see Axel come down the hall. "Hi! What's up?"

"Well Signas gave me an assignment, a large Maverick was located on the outskirts. I know I can handle it myself but he said I should take somebody with me. Since you've completed training and appear to be quite a star future prodigy of a Hunter, I figured you'd like to join along with me."

"Really!?" Cero beamed. It was the first time anybody asked her to go along even though now she was a fully certified Hunter. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squealed, jumping up and down.

"Sure, come on let's go." He laughed and they left.

Out in the field...

The area the Maverick was spotted in was a dark and desolate looking terrain, it was very dry and plain and dead looking on the outskirts of civilization, and for obvious good reason, it was remotely un-livable.

"Alia said the signal came from in here." Cero pointed in the cave in which Axel shone the flashlight inside.

"Right." Axel nodded and led in first, looking around. "Communication with the base should be blocked in hear, the rock is very thick." Cero followed closely behind Axel, looking around as he led the way. "You're not scared, are you?" Axel smirked a bit.

"What!? Nah."

"It's your first time, I know I was jumpy and nervous my first hunt."

"Well I'm not a whiney wimpy little boy." Cero boasted putting her hands on hips.

"Hahah, very funny." Axel rolled his eyes. "None of us can change who and what we were as kids..."

Cero smirked, "Yeah, that's true..." She lost the thought as she bumped into Axel who stopped. "Ugh, hey...!"

"Shh." Axel raised a finger and Cero focused. They began to tread lightly, they were nearing the end of the cave. Right around the corner would be the dead end, Axel pointed and got out his gun. Cero nodded and readied her hand on her saber. Axel jumped out, the light on top of his gun, "Freeze Maverick, or I'll... eh?" Axel looked around confused. "Nobody's here... well that's odd." He put his hands on his hips. "I wonder if maybe Alia..."

"ROAR!"

"Look out Axel, behind you!"

"Wha...? Whoa!" Axel didn't have time to react, so Cero jumped up and tackled the wild Maverick to the ground and they began to tussle in hand to hand combat. "Cero!" Axel was freaked out, she didn't have the chance to grab her weapon.

"Ugh, take that!" Cero threw him off and he flew against the wall, growling as it got up sorely.

"Wow, Cero..." Axel blinked, shocked.

Cero grabbed her saber, "Take me on now you SOB!" The Maverick roared back approval for combat and they charged at each other with a battle cry. Axel gasped and shut his eyes, afraid to even watch... "Axel... Axel? Hey, AXEL!"

"Huh, what!?" Axel finally took his hands off his eyes and saw Cero standing before him, wearing a victory smirk. "Cero!" He beamed and looked at the scrapped Maverick. "You did it!"

"Mhm." She posed happily and gave a peace sign.

"Wow." He looked around. "Without a scrape too... you really are his daughter."

"Yeah, well I mean of course I..." She laughed but then stopped with a groan and slowly fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her stomach holding her sides in pain.

"Huh, what the... Cero!?" He reached out to keep her from falling over. "What is it, what's the matter? He pulled a hand away to find it stained. "Oh no... you're hurt." He noticed a deep gash on her side and inspected it, worried. "The wound, it looks bad..."

"No, don't worry... I'll, be..." Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she limply fell forward into his arms.

"Cero!" He scooped her up quickly and shook as he looked down at her, what was he going to do now? Oh man, Zero was gonna kill him...!

Later, back at HQ...

"Get me a status report, quick!" Gate called from in the sickbay, Cero was rushed back quickly and as soon as her injured condition was stated she was put into the ER. Axel didn't think it was that bad of an injury, but Gate had his reasons. "LifeSaver, come on man, pronto!" Gate whirled around.

"Patience is a virtue...!" LifeSaver growled as he typed furiously on the computer.

"Damnit." Gate turned back around to check the monitors, trying to get Cero to stabilize.

"Come on Cero, wake up." Axel was very upset with himself as he watched sitting on the other side of the room. "Good thing I'm in the medical ward right now, oh man once Zero finds out what happened he's going to..."

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU AXEL!" Zero roared as he burst through the doors. Axel gave a fearful high pitch scream and dove under the chair desperately to hide.

"Cero, oh Cero!" Iris gasped as she rushed over to the bed. "Come on honey, you can do it...!"

"Dad, here's the report." Taiko came back into the front room holding a clipboard. He looked down with a worried face at his friend as Gate read the results.

"This is bad..." He sighed. After a while Cero stabilized but resumed her unconscious state. Gate sighed and looked up at Axel, "Axel..." He stood up and approached, noticing in the tone of his voice he wanted to be quiet. "I want you to take Iris out of the room, I need to speak with Zero for a moment."

Axel sighed, understanding completely, "Alright..." He walked over.

"Oh my poor little girl, why couldn't she grow up to be a researcher like me, being safe here in the base." Iris spoke quietly.

"Oh, Axel." Zero looked up. "Take Cero to get something to drink, she needs to calm down."

Axel looked at Zero, and he fully comprehended, "Good timing, I was just about to head that way myself." He smiled warmly down at the distraught mother. "Come on Iris, a walk will clear your heart."

"Alright." Iris sniffed and stood up, she nodded at Zero and left. Zero smiled as he saw her out but once they were gone he turned seriously to Gate who now stood beside him.

"Alright, doc, what's going on." Zero stressed 'doc' with much resentment.

Gate sighed and took the stethoscope off from around his neck, "I'm afraid she was attacked by an infected Reploid, the wound wasn't server, however, the Maverick Virus has entered her system."

Zero wasn't shocked, his eyes lowered into a glare, he didn't like where this was going, "Does she, does she stand a chance...?"

"That's why we need to quarantine her here and keep her unconscious until we can get it out or it moves on out of her. Because she's half Maverick and half Reploid, we don't know how her body will take to it for sure."

"What CAN you tell me?"

"Well, looking at you, she may have stronger Maverick blood in her and it will pass as a normal virus like how it didn't harm you, however, if Iris is stronger within her and the virus attacks her Reploid blood, she will be converted."

"But she STILL IS only just a half breed, won't it..."

"Be less dramatic? That's what we aren't sure of. Since she has Maverick blood within her as well, it may turn her Reploid blood Maverick and surge with the Maverick blood already within her."

"What does that mean, what would happen then?"

"What will happen is, she could become one of the most horrifying terrible Maverick's we have ever seen." Gate's words caused Zero to freeze with his eyes in shock. "And seeing as she IS your daughter, if that were to happen it would be tragic, for who could kill her? Certainly not you, the expert Hunter..."

"Goddamnit!" Zero snarled, his eyes shaking with confusion. "What am I going to do, this is awful!"

"Poor Cero..." Taiko's words caused the two fathers to turn to him.

"So, you were here then were you now?" Gate approached him. "So then you know about Cero's blood roots then."

"You don't want me to tell her...?"

"No."

"But, well dad, she already knew." Taiko bit his lip slightly upon saying that.

"What?" Zero gasped, his eyes going wide in shock.

Taiko felt bad for admitting Cero's secret but what was the point now if she could die, "She overheard Axel and told me, I promised to keep it a secret because she didn't want to hurt you Zero." He looked up at him. "You're not just her dad, but her hero. She looks up to you and loves you so much, she didn't want you to find out she knew, it would break your heart and she knew it."

Zero sighed, his eyes lowered as his heart sank down to Cero on the bed, "Oh, poor Cero..." He knelt down. "I didn't know, Cero... I'm sorry." He stared at her almost comatose state. "Curse this blood within me Cero, curse this weak heart for falling for your mother and having you... it's all my fault this happened to you. And now, now I could loose you... " He looked at the medical equipment as it beeped and traced her vital signs. Zero turned back, tears at the edges of his eyes as he held onto her hand tightly. "Please don't go, cause I finally know, that the past is gone and I knew I was wrong..." He put his face into the sheets as he pulled her hand close up against his chest. Taiko felt his heart break as he saw this, he felt terrible. "And I was wrong..."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** _EEEKK, our freakin documents have been given a death date WTF!? Dang this sucks... well glad I popped in since I almost forgot about this fic so I'm gonna upload the last two chapeters now before their life expectantcy ends. Man I hate when new stupid rules come up like that ugh I mean first no lyrics then no mary sue's now this I mean what is NEXT_

Gate and Life Saver were doing a good job of keeping Cero stabilized in her unconscious state. The virus had already begun to take a healthful turn for the worse, just like any other virus, Cero's vitals would fluctuate rapidly and she would get high fevers and have trouble breathing. Zero staid by her side, he didn't leave vigil for a moment. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep, when missions were called out X and Axel went alone. Naturally Signas would be upset to see Zero not go on a mission, even if he were injured or sick he would still protest and force his way out into battle because he loved what he did. But this time everyone understood Zero's emotions and left him alone. Iris visited when she wasn't busy, Alia and the others told her it would be a good idea to leave them and continue to move on and not be preoccupied about it with it constantly in her mind. It was hard for her, after all Cero was her first and only child, but she knew Zero was there and she tried to keep working as best she could as to keep helping out and not fall behind, and again everybody understood. Zero was beginning to look beat, his hair was mangy looking, his face was scruffy and he had bags under his dull eyes. Cero was like his life force and seeing her in this way it was like sucking the very life out of his own being. Even LifeSaver and Gate were starting to worry about him. Finally came a day when the virus was mild, she had a temperature of only a hundred degrees and her vitals were stable. There were no missions so Axel had come by to watch Zero and Cero along with Taiko. Gate and LifeSaver were on break, running constant tests and keeping surveillance was tiring for them as well. Zero looked down at Cero, his eyes fixed and focused as he rubbed her pale delicate hand with his thumb, so much smaller as he held it fastly with his own.

Axel sighed worried, "I really hope Zero's health doesn't deteriorate because of this."

"Don't be too concerned. This is purely emotional, if your heart and mind are contaminated with worry, especially for a fallen love one, it will contaminate your body and soul as well. Once Cero wakes up, Zero will return to normal as well, you'll see, trust me." Taiko spoke intellectually.

Axel blinked, feeling a little shunned, "Dang, college boy."

Taiko chuckled a bit, "Well they're bonded, I mean, they do have an impact on each other."

"Speaking of which, you really need to take a break too sometime."

"Huh?" Taiko turned to him.

"I know you and Cero are close, even a genius prodigy like you should be able to see that everyone can see the obvious feelings of love between you two." Axel's words caused Taiko to look away slightly and try not to blush. "I know you're worried about her too."

"I am, but..." He turned back with a grin. "I have faith."

Axel nodded with determination, "And faith helps keeps dreams alive." They looked back at Zero and Cero. "No matter how slim a chance that dream may have of coming true into reality..."

Zero continued to stare down at his daughter, his heart breaking more and more with each and every second that went by. "Zero...?"

"Huh?" Zero snapped out of it as he heard the small fragile voice and turned to look up and see his wife. "Iris...!"

He went to stand up but she shook her head and held up a hand, the other behind her back, "I came here to bring you something."

"Huh...?"

"Here." She pulled out her hand to reveal what she was holding behind her back.

Zero blinked and looked at it, then back up at her as she handed it to him, "But, why my acoustic?" He took the guitar and held it on his lap.

Iris blushed a bit, "When you were gone, Cero took that to her room and tried every night to try and play it. She said, she told me that she had heard you playing a melody one night. She fell in love with it, it fascinated her, and she tried for weeks to get it right. But after a few months she gave up and told me she couldn't. I asked her why, and she said, because no matter how close I might get, I won't play it just like daddy, it was wrong, it won't be as good as him, and to play it any other way, it wouldn't be right. No matter how much I want to be, I just can't be like him." She smiled. "She may be your daughter, Zero, but she can never be you. You were gone, but now she has you back. Show her, Zero. Prove to her that you will never leave her spiritualy."

Zero's eyes shook as his dry throat tightened and he looked back down at her, "Cero..." He sighed and shut his eyes, propping the guitar on his leg, placing his hands. "I think..." He slightly opened his eyes, "I think I know what tune she was thinking of..." He took a deep breath and began to strum gently on the guitar, playing the same chords to the song he knew Cero must have heard. Iris watch, as did Taiko and Axel from in the back as Zero played for his daughter. Zero smiled a bit, it had been a while, he closed his eyes and began to hum along with the song, getting back into it. Iris smiled, it was a nice melody, she had never heard him play that tune before, it must have been some kind of work in progress, maybe, possibly even for Cero. Iris felt that's what it must have been because the more and more Zero played the more and more strained he looked until finally his throat choked and he stopped, letting the guitar down as he hung his head, his hands clenched on the bed sheet. "And I know that I was wrong..."

"Huh, Zero?" Axel and Taiko jerked slightly in worry. That was no lyric.

"What is it honey?" Iris frowned, reaching out a bit.

Tears began to fall from Zero's eyes, "I was wrong..." The tears fell onto Cero's arm. A drop rippling the darkness. Cero's eyes fluttered under her lids.

Iris noticed and gasped, "Zero..."

"Awaken, my princess of the darkness..."

"That voice..." Cero groaned in her sleep, it was dark and cold inside, hard to breathe. "No…!"

"Cero...?" Taiko noticed the tracking monitors starting to fluctuate wildly.

"You belong to me...!"

"No!" Cero couldn't speak, she opened her mouth and the air escaped into bubbles under a dark deep ocean of evil. Taken over, her soul was completely engulfed and trapped.

"Huh?" Zero sniffed and looked up to see the silent Cero's eyes snap open. "She's awake!"

"Oh my gosh!" Iris gasped as Taiko and Axel jumped up and rushed over.

"Are you alright, talk to us!" Axel cried. Taiko looked down at her, something didn't seem right. Her eyes, they weren't hers, it was almost as if her body was an empty shell. A husk of no life.

"Something's wrong..." But nobody heard him.

"At the command, you shall be mine, and you will bend to my will."

"Don't say my name, please..." Cero's soul shook inside, her true eyes open slighly, welling up with tears of a loosing battle.

"What's the matter with her?" Iris looked worried.

"Why won't she respond?" Axel was concerned as well.

"Don't say it...!"

Zero's lips parted as he swallowed, "Cero...!"

"Ah..." Cero gasped as her heart skipped a beat, but to her it seemed to freeze entirely as a gust of aura burst from her and began to swirl and churn around her body. It was at that moment, that she became lost.

"What in the...!?" Zero jumped up, growling.

"Heheheh, bwahahah!" He called her name…!

"No, no...!" Cero's heart cried as it reverted into the cold darkness and out of sight.

"Cero...?" Zero was confused, they could not hear the evil voice within her mind.

"Dad, I..." Cero shut her eyes tightly and roared out a painful scream.

"What is this...!?" Taiko shook.

Zero was in shock as he saw his daughter rise in the air above the bed, the now dark aura around her being quickly sucked back in as she slowly landed daintily feet first on the sheets, Zero could sense it, "Oh no..." He looked at his daughter, her eyes closed almost as if she were asleep again. An unconcious heart. "Cero, please, tell me it's not true."

Iris turned to him, "What's, not true...?"

Zero began to slowly walk forward, "Cero..." As he got within arms reach, her eyes snapped open and she growled demonically, jumping back and landing on the small dresser as she snarled animal like in her throat, bearing fangs as her hair fell in mangy strands around her shoulders.

"Oh my God, what's wrong with her!?" Iris shrieked.

"She's reverted..." Zero's face became dark with hatred.

"She's what?" Axel gasped.

Zero leered painfully at his child, his voice choking, "She's become a Maverick..." She bared her teeth at him, hissing. "I hate that damnable bastard Sigma, CURSE HIM TO HELL!"

"Sigma, but he's dead." Axel was confused.

"It was preordained even after his death, the recent outbreak was left in wait back at his lab, don't you remember, that mutt of his?"

"Ah, that's right!" Axel gasped. "It's been a while, I forgot I guess!"

Just then X burst in, "Zero what is it, what's going... AH! Cero!" Cero glared at him, pulling out her saber. "No it can't be...!" His eyes shook. "I knew I could sense something..."

"No, desist!" Zero commanded and Cero turned back to Zero, her changed eyes causing him to tremble for just a moment. "Listen to me Cero, I'm your father, you look up to me, so OBEY ME!" Cero spat snobbishly and rather than attacking, she cut the window and jumped out, running off. "Cero!" Zero rushed over but she was gone. "Damnit, she's fast... the virus is terrible."

"So then, it's just as I feared..."

"Huh?" Zero turned. "Gate...!"

Gate stepped in over the shattered glass, "Her half bred blood took to it differently, and differently in a very bad way."

"Then, what do we do now?" X asked.

"Signas has to call a state of emergency." Gate sighed. "This is going to be very difficult."

"But, isn't there a way, to save her...?" Zero tried to swallow.

"The antidote injection was immune, even with your help. I'm sorry but we're left with only one choice..."

"Oh no." Iris gasped, cupping her mouth with her hands.

"No, no... NO!" Zero roared and ran out of the room.

"Zero no, wait!" X called.

Zero was running down the hall, tears in his eyes, "I can't believe it. X saved me, why can't I save her!? I have to go after her, she'll most likely run back to Sigma's old base. Is he controlling her from beyond the grave, or... no... wait!" His eyes went wide as he remembered. "In the dirt, those footprints! Not just of the dog but, oh damnit, it's that horrid SOB Neon Tiger...!"

Speaking of whom...

"Well, I really would have liked to have this unravel with a lot more pain and drama, but, otherwise this has worked out just nicely." Sigma's voice was amused. Cero surely had run back to the old Maverick ruins, she sat on some of the rocks as Neon Tiger paced eagerly.

"Oh, can I attack now...!? Ugh! I wanna fiiiight!" He whined.

"Stop your complaining." Sigma groaned, but then his heart smiled as he got a wicked idea. "Cero..." She looked up (even though the voice was heard in their heads she was staring at nothing) at his command. "This will be your first test, to see if you are truly loyal and will obey me. Destroy this pest, this pitiful laughable excuse of a Maverick standing before you." Cero stood up like a robot following orders. "KILL Neon Tiger...!"

"No, no nooo he's kidding, seriously you don't know him, he's a joker, please!" Getting no response back from Cero, Neon Tiger gave a fearfully high pitch scream as he tried desperately to claw up the walls of the hole. Cero just continued to slowly walk towards him, Neon Tiger squealed as she reached to her side and pulled out her saber, stepping closer and closer to him. Finally Neon Tiger dodged the escape idea and tried to beg for mercy, he got on his knees and put his paws together with a sad toothy grin, "Please...?" Cero's lifeless expression didn't respond, she just slashed her saber and sent a blast of energy out to vaporize him as he cried out in defeat. When the light subsided, she put her saber back and sat back down, Sigma's dog going to sit by her side.

"Very good, my pet. This is how it should've been Zero, you and I. If only, then your daughter wouldn't have to suffer. She may not even have existed if our alliance went through as it could have. But now your daughter's will belongs to me... and so Zero, what will you do. Heheheh..."

Cero was emotionless the whole time, she looked down at Sigma's dog who wagged his tail with his chest out proud as Cero pet his head, her fading heart sighed as it longed for something similar, "Rush..."

Zero was hidden behind a rock off the boundaries of the Maverick ruins, "Well, at least she got rid of the last Maverick, well, not including herself... but what am I going to do." He sighed, he did know what he had to do, but how could he ever bring himself to it. He sighed and looked up as the clouds rumbled, "Dark rain clouds...?" He sighed and looked back down as some drops began to fall, "Maybe I should go back to the base and think about this... at least sleep on the thought until morning... The whole world is counting on me, she may be the only one left now, but under Sigma's controlling hand, she could end Reploid civilization with the virus" And so Zero returned back to base, the whole while going undetected.

That night...

It was storming now as Iris looked outside, "This could get bad, poor Cero... I'm so worried about her. What are we going to do hon!?"

"I don't know..." Zero's voice was quiet.

Iris frowned, "You just ran off like that, do you know how bad you freaked me out? Do you not think I'm upset too? You don't have to protect me, Zero, I'm not dumb. Do you not realize what I know might have to be done?"

"Might... Iris?"

"Don't talk like that." Iris growled quietly at Zero's desolate tone. "You're her father, you were gone when she grew up, and now she needs you more than ever. You can't give up on her, cause, she never gave up on you...! She always had faith in you, now it's finally time for you to go to her."

"I know there has to be another way, but..." Zero sighed, why did it have to come to this. He got up, "I'm going to bed now."

"Zero...!" Iris stopped and sighed. "Fine." She turned back to look out the window. "Either way you look at it, I still don't like this..."

The next morning...

The skies were back to normal, but Zero couldn't say the same for himself and the situation at hand. "Zero, what are you going to do?" Signas asked, everyone was having an emergency meeting in the conference room.

"This doesn't concern anybody else now but myself..."

"Zero, you can't do this alone, you don't have to." Iris protested. "You aren't alone."

"We're all worried about her Zero, but it's the only way." Axel spoke quietly.

"NO, I refuse to believe!" Zero shut his eyes as he pounded his fist on the table. He had shut the rest of the world out, he was finished talking and he didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Stop listening to your heart Zero." Gate lowered his brow. "If you hear the words in your head you'll know your mind set is right."

"I said STOP IT!" Zero roared. "Don't talk like you know me!"

"This isn't about us, Zero, it's not even about you. It's about Cero." LifeSaver joined in the debate.

"This doesn't concern you either Light Saber!" Zero's defensive snarl caused LifeSaver to roll his eyes with frustration and annoyance. Last time he trys to help...

"Please Zero, we can help find another way..." Taiko was quieter than the rest. "We want to help you too, we want to save Cero."

"I know you do, but..." Zero sighed and opened his eyes, standing up. "I've made my decision, and as her father, I feel I'm right in making it."

"But you know what they say, Zero..." Taiko looked up, his voice louder now with determination in his heart, trying desperately to stop him and change his view. "Death is only the easy way out, sometimes what's right is harder to get to. You can't just end it now, if you look and work hard maybe you can find something, the right answer. So you can't just go out there and..."

"You love her too don't you Taiko...!?" Zero barked back quickly, causing Taiko to freeze wide eyed in shock. Not because he didn't want anyone to know his feelings for her, but because of Zero's vicious tone.

"But, I..." Taiko shook, Zero was truly scary when angry.

"There's no but's about it, I know what I have to do, and that's final." Zero looked up, his eyes dark.

"Zero?" Iris went to stand up and go over to him.

Zero held out his hand, "No, don't." He turned to go and Iris slowly sat back down. "X...?" He walked off.

"Yeah..." X nodded and stood up, following him out of the room.

It was quiet until Axel spoke up, "S-shouldn't we follow them!?"

"Didn't you hear him?" Iris's eyes were welling with tears and emotion.

"If he wanted to be alone, why did he call for X?"

"His tone of voice, Axel... did you not hear?" Iris choked as the tears began to fall from her eyes. "He's saying good bye..."

"Oh, well then that's... wait, he's WHAT?" Axel gasped, his eyes gone wide.

"Zero, please, come on..." X was serious in his quiet tone.

"I have to go this alone X. I always listen to you, now you have to hear me."

"But we're partners, best friends. We do everything together, we're always by each others side."

"You know me X, and you know this is the only way."

"That doesn't make it right."

Zero sighed, his back to X, "I know..."

"Then why?" X knew there was something Zero wasn't telling him.

"Because I'm her father, and I have to do what's right... Gate was right, I have to listen to my head and not to my heart."

"But what if there IS another way, what if we're missing something?" X bit his lip. "Gate's not always right..." He looked back up. "Listen to your heart and think of hers, Zero. You love her, and she loves you."

"The old her, X..." Zero silenced him. "It's a risk X."

"Then why go it alone?"

"Because, X..." Zero looked up, his eyes dull of life but full of the focus of war. "I don't want you to see me in what I might have to do..." He gripped his hand on his saber and walked away. All X could do was watch, he knew in his heart that this was wrong, everyone did. And nobody knew it more, than Zero...


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _Well anyways, that's it... I'd like to thank those few of you who actually did review, but it took so long to get readers that I didn't write the last chapter along with the rest so I forgot the original ending and just threw this one up together. It's not that great, but, oh well... check out my other X story I just finished. And thanks again anyways, and sorry if it prolly sucked._

Zero had gone back to the ruins of the old enemy base, but Cero had already gone. He tried to get a signal on her whereabouts but she was so fast and her aura must have become so skilled in the Maverick virus evolution she was able to block any senses from finding her. Zero thought that this would be harder than he thought... so he had one last idea. He did nothing. He stood his ground, out in the open of the middle of nowhere. His plan? He wasn't going to look for her, she was going to come to him. Being out in the open was not only good to lure her out but also to ensure that nobody else got caught in any crossfire and was hurt in the midst of their combat. Now that she was transformed, who else would she go after first? And not to mention the fact that of course Sigma wanted him dead too. That way she wouldn't kill others in search for him, or just in a blind Maverick rage. As Zero waited, the day turned to night and the sun rose into morning again. Still Zero waited, and as he waited, no sleep, he was left alone with his thoughts, painful thoughts, his memories of Cero. And as each second went by, the angst pain in his heart drove deeper and deeper until finally the moment of truth had arrived.

Zero had his eyes shut, he didn't even bother turning, he just opened them and glanced slightly to the side as he felt the air moving around him, "So, you've arrived now, have you...?"

Cero leaped from seemingly out of nowhere and landed a few feet away, facing his back, smirking evilly, "I have, yes. And I see you were waiting."

Zero stood up and turned to face her, "Yes." His face was low, his eyes were dull and focused on her wicked smiling face, her eyes were evil and not her own, he hated the sight, "That voice isn't yours." She sneered. "Don't think me wrong, I'm not fighting you, my daughter, I am fighting the virus inside you. Fighting to save you."

"Oh how noble, HAH! Don't deny what I have become." She snapped, still grinning at him. "It was a chance meeting, my fate crossing the roads with the virus in the first place, but, this was all my destiny as a half breed."

Zero lowered his brow at that remark, "Don't call yourself that... You make it sound like you're something bad, something wrong, someone ugly, a demon. Maverick's are monsters."

"And now what am I, eh…? You created me, and now you've come to destroy me! How storied."

"We created you with the love we had and shared for each other. There is nothing wrong with you, if anything you are even more unique. Stronger than any Reploid, the purest of any Maverick, you have good traits from both sides. You were a Reploid with Maverick power, almost something like me. Me, your father, who left you and your mother for war... Me, who you looked up to and continued to idolize even though I was gone. I never saw you grow up like any father should, and my memories eat at me. My last memory of you was of that as a smiling little girl, and now look at you... trapped inside the shell of a horrible Maverick. This isn't right... and yet somewhere deep inside after all this, I bet you still exist in some small for somewhere, struggling, and for some reason, you continue to still love me. Now that is something, a real demon, that I cannot understand."

"You talk as though you expect me to react to your dramatic little heartfelt monologue." Cero licked her lips and got into a battle stance. "But you forget, I am no longer your daughter, a little girl. A Jesus figure from Romeo and Juliet." She unsheathed her saber and posed ready for fighting. "I am all grown up now! A darkened Maverick, Judas! I have a life all my own!" She gripped the base with both hands and leaped off the ground, "I can do as I please. This is my choice. You will either accept me, and join Sigma, or die!" She went charging at him with a battle cry, "AH!"

"Et tu, brute?" Zero sighed, closing his eyes, "Then forgive me, but this is something then that I must DO!" He slashed out his own saber to block hers, she in the air above him, he down blocking it, one pushed down, the other shoved up, and the force of the two mighty matching in the middle caused an explosion of light, sending them both back.

"You're not even trying!" Cero snarled.

"Ah!" Alia whirled around as a siren went off in the command center.

"What is it?" Douglas asked, he was filling in for Iris.

"An explosion in the outlands, look at the energy reading." Alia began to type furiously.

Douglas pulled off the report and read it, "Wow, that's incredible! Do you think it's Zero...?"

"Zero could never muster up that much power, and no weapon you've created could create such a blast."

Douglas's eyes went wide as he turned back to her, "Then you don't think that that's..."

"If it is her, then how in the world is she that powerful...!? She could kill us all...!"

Finally the dust cleared, Zero was standing now as he caught his breath, "Your power... it's..."

"In-human?" Cero stood posing, her arms folded, not winded at all as if nothing had happened. "Well that's what happens when a half breed..." She crouched down. "Becomes a Maverick."

"Will you STOP calling yourself THAT!?" Zero shut his eyes as he yelled, he'd had enough, he felt bad enough already about it, but for his own daughter to hate her own self was something he could not even begin to bare. "You talk as if you're something horrible, but you're not! You are not something evil! You are not something bad! I don't know where or how you got that in your head? There is nothing wrong with you! You are beautiful. And if anyone was wrong here, was bad, it was me!" That caused Cero to look slightly confused. "It was my own foolish heartfelt feelings for your Reploid mother that wanted me to have a family, to want a child of my own to have and to hold. She could've gone with any other Reploid she wanted, but she chose me back. We made you out of love, at the time we didn't think about what crossing a Reploid and a Maverick could do, and we didn't really care. We thought the nightmares were over, that the virus was extinct. It was a time of peace and Iris wanted a baby. We never meant for it to be like this, for you to end up this way. What parent would want such a cruel fate to befal upon their own child? A child is like an extension of its parent's life, they raising him or her like they were by their own parents but wanting to give it more, to make it better. In most cases it longs to be like their mother or father, to surpass them, to impress them and make them proud, to show they can do exactly what they can. And in turn, that's all a parent can dream to see for their children is to be great and succeed, to become better than their selves and live well, to thrive. I was once a Maverick, and I changed to become a great hunter. You looked up to me and loved me and even became a great aspiring hunter of your own. You could've risen over me if you wanted to, but now look at you, a Maverick, tormented between two hearts. Maybe like you say, this was meant to happen, but, that doesn't mean you can't change the future. Your destiny isn't set in stone, you create your own fate, your life lies in your own hands! It has NOTHING to do with who and what you are, or who your parents are, or what you might be!" Zero threw down his saber in the rage of his own thoughts, shocking Cero once again. "I changed my way, you can control your own fate too. Maybe I can't change it for you, but this WAS all my fault! That's why I want to fix it! The only obvious way out may be to kill you to end your suffering and get rid of the virus for good, but just because I can create a life, doesn't justify me taking it! Especially when it belongs to somebody I love more than anything in the world... But that's not what I believe." Finally Zero looked up, a little quieter. "You may not care, you may not hear me anymore, you may have changed, but that doesn't mean who you are is gone. What you are on the outside means nothing to me, it's the heart and soul I care for, it's what I fight for, it's what I love and what I want to protect, and what kept me moving...! Your mother and I love you, we wanted the best for you. I don't want to kill you, my own daughter, I don't even want to FIGHT you! I don't care anymore...! X saved me, somehow there must be a way I can save you. If talking won't help, if talking is cheap, then there is only one way for you to free yourself. He gave her a serious glance. "And that's for you to kill me."

"Huh?" Cero flinched a bit, that resolve was unexpected.

"I can talk all I want, pour my heart and soul out in to yours, but it won't do any good if it's falling upon deaf ears. Actions speak louder than any words could, so now it's endgame, and the next play is all in your hands. I know my daughter loved me more than her own good, you terror of a Maverick shell. She could never do anything to hurt me, so how do you expect her to kill me? She is strong, she will defeat you!"

Cero scoffed and began to snicker at that, confusing Zero as she laughed out lout, leering back at him, "You fool, sounding like a C grade drama student just improvising through an audition, hahah." She sneered as the remark made Zero flinch a bit with annoyance, hitting close to home there. Cero stood tall, "You just signed your own death warrant! Leaving yourself open, and disarming yourself...!" She charged at him again. "I came here to kill you, remember!? And that's what I intend to do...!"

"If that's my fate, my punishment for creating you, for loving you, then so be it. Because I would rather die than go on living with the memories of killing my own little girl trapped forever in my head. Only I can save you, and this may be my one and only chance at victory. I know now what I have to do... This is a fathers choice to protect the ones he loves." Zero closed his eyes as she came nearer and nearer and finally jumped up to deliver the final blow, coming down with such power, in the flash of life the world seemed to flow in slow motion. "I love you Cero..."

"Ah...!" She shut her eyes as she came down to deliver the final, fatal blow.

Eyes closed from the pain inside...

A battle cry echoing into empty nothingness...

A tear falls into the darkness and ripples...

The saber piercing through a body, painfully spilling life out the other end...

And a final thought...

'I love you...'

The sound of the slash through the body made Zero wince and groan and he slowly opened his eyes to find himself perfectly unharmed, "Eh... huh?" His eyes snapped open, what hero had come to his rescue? "Wha... Cero!" His jaw was dropped as he stared in shock.

Cero was hunched forward crouching down in horrible pain as Zero saw her own saber shoved in the front of her chest and coming out the back through her hair, "D-dad..." She looked up, more and more blood oozing out through the sides of the imbedded saber, dripping from the tip.

"W-why... how...?"

She smiled weakly, the eyes of a Maverick still on her face, but hear heart and soul spilling out through them into his, something had triggered her from deep down inside to break free to save him and save herself, "I, ugh..." She slowly began to sink to her knees, smile still weakly on her face.

"Cero!" Zero gasped and caught her, her life quickly flowing out of her wounds and onto the ground and onto his hands. "But, I... I don't..."

"I'm sorry, dad." She looked up at him as he held her close to him. "I'm sorry for this mess I've made. I was trapped and all alone inside, it was dark and cold, I couldn't get out or even breathe. I could hear you, I could see you, I tried to speak but the words only echoed back into my thoughts. I could only cry in the evil, tears from a little girl, something that I hate. The Maverick virus was controlling me, a new me, a fake me. Watching was more painful to my heart than the agony my body was in. I tried to hard to get out, but I couldn't do it. I guess I'm still just a little girl no matter how you look at it..." She smirked, looking away a bit ashamed.

"But you were able, to fight it, to beat it, and overcome it. You may be all grown up Cero, but you will always be my little girl..!"

"Yes. For, you, dad... You saying you have to die to save me? Heh, well... sometimes I guess even daddies are wrong." She began to fade, her voice dying down, her eyes growing tired.

"Cero..." He held her tightly, his eyes welling up. "Save your energy, don't talk anymore."

"You talked to me dad, I could hear you. There's so much I want to tell you too, but... but I don't think I can."

"It's alright Cero, I understand, I want to tell you the world too, you don't have to speak Cero, please...!"

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting as tears starting to form in her own eyes as a smile came upon her face, "But, at least I was able to make everything right in the end... and I saved you, my hero, my dad, my..." Her eyes began to flutter as she looked away.

"No, Cero... hang on, PLEASE!"

"Please don't cry dad. I'm happy. I end the virus, Sigma has no power, I was his last hope. He will die with me whether he likes it or not. So I can rest easy knowing I did end up help saving the world, just like you did." She smiled warmly amid the pain. "And, tell mom, I'm sorry. Okay...?" She let out a deep breath as she blinked one last time.

"CERO!" Zero's face cringed as he thought, 'If only I didn't have to go out to war I could've seen you grow up and spent your life with you. All I wanted as a father was to be with you... and now, I.'

She looked up at him again, an adult wearing the face of the small child he had once left behind, she thought to herself 'I wish I had more time to talk to you, to tell you everything that my heart desires' but it all came out in just one word through that smile, "Bye..." And with every thought and word of her life flowing into his soul, she shut her eyes and lived no more.

"Cero... Cero, CERO! Cero...! Cero?" Zero shook her, holding her tightly as her limp form no longer responded. "Why Cero, why did you do it? You didn't have to die Cero, there must've been another way, CERO! Oh, Cero..." He looked down at her. She was so beautiful, she was all grown up. "You're so selfish, just like me... you taking your own life to save that of your parent is not justified...! Those years I was away, I never stopped thinking about you, worrying about you and your mom, wondering if I'd come back and find everything alright. I felt so bad that I left you all alone... that's something I've never been able to forgive myself for." He shut his eyes, his voice dry. "And I never will..." In the darkness of his own sorrow he could see again that little girl of his turn around and laugh as she rushed into his arms, into a hug just like they always used to before he left, it felt so warm, so real, and yet now Cero's form was cold and lifeless. "Oh Cero, why did it have to be you who died...?" It was gone, all gone now... a large part of Zero himself had just died.

As if seeing his own daughter die in his arms before him wasn't enough, breaking the news to her mother was going to be heart wrenching. Iris of course was extremely upset, to say the very least. She broke down into tears and wept for hours upon hours until she finally passed out into her husband's arms. Nobody knew how else to react other than to be sad, she had lost her life in a horrible way but had died a hero, ending the virus and putting a stop to the threat of Sigma's return. As soon as Taiko heard the news he left the room, he wanted to be alone. But as he headed back to his home quarters, stone faced, he came across Axel in the hall.

"Where are you going Taiko...?" Axel's was almost silent.

"Get out of my way..." Taiko was even quieter.

"I know you're upset, but you shouldn't face the sorrow alone."

"What do you know anyway!?" Taiko burst out.

Axel sighed, not taking it personally and continued to speak in a calm and quiet tone of voice, "Please. I know you loved her Taiko, you grew up together the best of friends. I know you would've asked her to marry her if you ever got the chance. I know this hurts you too. But you don't have to be afraid."

"Huh?"

"Even the bravest and strongest of men cry when they loose a loved one, especially when it was the woman of his heart." Axel's words caused Taiko to choke and try to hold the tears back in his eyes. Axel continued to speak, "If you want nobody else to know I saw you when you were weak, then I promise I wont tell..."

"Axel..."

"But please, Taiko. For Cero's sake... wont you cry for her?"

"Axel..." This time Taiko could no longer control his emotions and the tears began to fall from his eyes. "Cero... Cero, Cero!" He began to cry, covering his face with his hands to catch his tears.

Axel sighed and walked over, putting him in a manly hug, "I know, it's alright... I'm sad too..." Even though Axel wanted to seem more stable for Taiko in his moment of need, his eyes too now had begun to tear up again as well.

That weekend a day later, they held a ceremony for her. She was to be buried in the center courtyard, a landmark memorial had been placed in the middle of the adjoining walkways. There was a plaque there with the name of every fallen Hunter etched in the stone. Generally they were cremated and as tradition the ashes scattered over the victory site where their life had been lost. But this would be different or Cero. Everyone was there to pay their respects. Signas, Douglas, General, Colonel, Alia, Gate, Life Saver, Taiko, Axel, Iris, Zero, X, and even the rookie training teams who didn't even know her, but they respected her and admired her for her great deeds of heroism. Just like how she had idolized and looked up to her father, Zero, for being such a great hero. Just like him… Finally after Signas stepped down, Zero went up to speak, the grieving father left for the end.

He sighed, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry, but I wasn't prepared to give a speech... you see, I..." He looked up. "Well, a parent is not supposed to outlive their child...!" He choked and looked away. "Sorry. I... I really don't know what to say, something like this, an event like this to happen is so unimaginable it never goes as planned. But, that's just how life is, never planned... So I guess I should just speak from the heart, like I spoke from my heart into hers" He turned and looked at the gravestone. "What's already been said speaks well enough, but, what I want to say... what I'm feeling..." He turned back to the crowd. "It can't be expressed in words. When I held her that day... when we looked into each other's eyes that one, last time... we told each other everything our mind and heart had to offer the other, the essence of the other's soul, the memories they had and shared with each other... We saw the whole world inside each other, life. I could never even begin to tell you what it was like to see her die like that. But... she was happy. Even as a Maverick, the virus couldn't destroy her personality and fully darken her heart and take over her mind. So she gave her own life to save me. Those last few moments seemed to last forever." He closed his eyes. "It's hard to even think about it now... she always looked up to me, wanting to be like me, a hero. But in the end, she was the hero. I feel bad about it, I feel like it's my fault, but..." He looked back up again. "Rather than spending our lives mourning her loss, we should remember all the good times we shared and use that to go on living. It will ease the pain by turning frowns into smiles. But death is never a happy ending. We may not have a future together, but at least we had some time in the past. You all got to spend more time with her than I did, her own father. Gone off to fight in the Maverick war, missing out on those precious years is more painful than death to me, and it's the price that I must pay in order to call myself not just a Hunter, but a foolish Reploid." He finally picked up his guitar. "As you all may know, I had been working on a song in private..." Iris looked up. "I had the tune in my head, but I finally put the song to words. Words for Cero. Words from our different walks of life together, and apart." He propped it up against his chest. "She may not be here to hear it, but I would like to share it all with you." Everyone stood up to be respectful. "In the memory of Cero, but it's so much more, than just that..." He began to play the chords. Everyone watched as he plaid the guitar, getting more and more into the song until finally the words began. Finally as the song began to die down after about six or so minutes of playing, they all began to hum with the tune. Zero plucked the final notes as he opened his eyes, looking up at Cero's gravestone, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes, "Cero..." He couldn't speak anymore, tonsils throbbing, his throat had grown too tremendously sore from singing while being so choked up trying to hold back the tears while the words poured out of his mouth, and plus he had the long speech to give as well without trying to break down. The crowd didn't know how to respond, the song was absolutely beautiful, but this was hardly the time for clapping. Zero took the guitar off of himself and set it down by the gravestone, "That song was for you Cero, and it will never be heard again." He put his hands together and closed his eyes. "You were my inspiration to play, and not only that but also in life. So it would be wrong, that's why I will not play the guitar anymore. The time for talking is done." He stood tall and turned, stepping down off the podium, he had nothing else left to say.

"We should get inside now, it's getting late." X looked up through the glass ceiling as the sun began to set in the sky.

"Alright." Iris stood up, still very shaken. "Come on Zero."

"You go ahead, I'll be just a minute..." He remained unmoving.

"We'll be waiting for you." Axel nodded and they all went inside. "Let's go Rush." The dog got up and followed the crowd.

Zero stood with his back to the gravestone, he felt like he couldn't move, he could feel something, he... was... he didn't understand, but then he turned around slowly, wide eyed as he saw a glowing hologram-like ghost looking back at him, "Cero...!"

Cero was floating in the air above the grave, glowing brightly in the spirit of her souls own aura, "Dad..." She blinked slowly, her beautiful eyes looking at him. "Thank you for the song, daddy."

"Cero...!" Zero still didn't believe it. "But! How are you, what's..." He still didn't understand, he didn't get it.

"I just want to let you know I love you all and I won't forget any of you ever." She smiled warmly. "And we will meet again. But until that time, my spirit will live on within you all."

"Wait Cero...!"

"Huh...?"

"Thank you."

"Thank you...?"

Zero smiled a bit, "I never got to thank you, Cero. You're a real hero now, more than I could ever be. A child should never have to give their own life to save that of their parents, but you did without hesitation or thinking of yourself. You are so un-selfish, not like me. You gave your life to save mine, to end the virus and stop Sigma. I was so sad and so confused, I never got a chance to tell you thanks."

Cero giggled, "Of course dad, no thanks are necessary! I mean, after all." She opened her eyes, blushing a bit. "You'd do the same for any of us, right...?"

Zero smiled back with a warm nod, "Without a second thought..."

The wind began to swirl around Cero, "My time is up dad, I had but just a last moment left... I have to go now...!"

"Cero, no wait, please...!" Zero choked painfully, taking a shaky step as he reached out for her.

"Don't be sad daddy." Cero smiled. "I'm not." She wore that same warm smile of hers as Zero smiled back. But there was something different about it this time, this smile of hers. It wasn't like the smile she showed him as a little girl, this was a smile of admiration and true love, a smile from a daughter all grown up. Her long beautiful hair blowing in her aura around her. They seemed to smile into each other's eyes for a long time when it was really only just a few seconds. Finally the light from her soul began to dissolve, "Good bye, daddy...!" And with that she was gone.

Zero's eyes shook, still in shock, he sighed quietly and closed his eyes, "Good bye, Cero..." He turned to go back inside with the others to mourn. But he wasn't crying in sorrow this time. This time he was smiling, he felt warm inside again. 'You're so much more, than a memory... cause you're so much more than a memory. So don't close the door, on what still can be...' He turned around, proudly looking at the memorial of his daughter as the same wind blew at gently at his hair. "Cause you're so much more, than a memory." And with that, he closed the door to the garden and went inside to be with his family and friends.


End file.
